Tilting at Windmills and winning

Friday, November 28, 2008 7:00 am

We’ve all used this phrase, but do you know why it’s significant?
The Spanish Ministry of Culture is making certain readers the world over don’t ever forget. The most recent Cervantes prize was awarded to Spanish novelist Juan Marse for his body of work.
Marse has focused many of his books on the rifts in Spanish society under the rule of Franco.
In addition to the laurels, Marse will take home 125,000 euros on April 23, 2009, the anniversary of the death of Miguel de Cervantes. Best known for his masterpiece, The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha, Cervantes is widely recognized for writing this modern novel that serves as a foundation for subsequent Western literature.
Nothing unwinnable about this battle for immortality, Cervantes holds one of the most lauded positions in the literary world.